No. 24 State Rallies Past No. 10 Michigan, 3-2
State Ends Four-Game Skid To Wolverines COLUMBUS, Ga. -- Mississippi State (10-2) rallied for a pair of runs in the fifth inning, then rode the shoulders of a pair of its pitchers, as the Bulldogs stayed perfect against top 10 teams this season with a 3-2 come-from-behind win over 10th-ranked Michigan (5-2) Friday evening at the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Columbus, Ga. Five different players recorded hits for the Bulldogs with sophomore Kate Jaspers paving the way on a 1-for-1 showing with a pair of sacrifice hits and two RBIs. Senior Kasey Whitehead turned in a 1-for-3 performance on a solo shot in the second inning. Michigan's Stefanie Volpe led all hitters on a 2-for-3 showing with one RBI and a run scored. Starter Kasey Whitehead (5-2) continued her streak of impressive appearances against top 10 opponents, scattering six hits and striking out one in five innings of work to record her career-high fifth victory. Wilkerson allowed two hits and struck out one in the final two innings of relief to record her fourth save of the campaign and move to within two of matching the NCAA career record. Michigan starter Marissa Young (2-2), one of the main cogs in the Wolverines' run to the NCAA Women's College World Series last season, allowed five hits and three earned runs over a complete game to take the loss for Michigan. The loss effectively snapped a four-game skid to the Wolverines that included three games decided by two runs or less and one decided in extra frames. The win also moved Mississippi State to 4-0 against top 25 teams this season, including three victories against top 10-ranked teams. Michigan got on the board quickly, utilizing a leadoff single by Kelsey Kollen and a pass ball by catcher Blaire Brown to get a runner into scoring position with one out. Stefanie Volpe followed with an RBI single up the middle to give the Wolverines a quick 1-0 lead. Following a pop out, Young delivered the goods again, plating Volpe with a 2-0 lead on a single to centerfield. After Young retired the first two State batters in the top of the second, Whitehead pulled her team to within one on a solo bomb to left field that grazed the tip of the web in Courtney Betley's glove before hitting the grass on the other side of the fence. The Bulldogs got a pair of runners on with two outs in the fifth, via a Jennifer Nelson single and an intentional walk issued to Wilkerson. That set the table for a Jaspers double that found the gap in right-centerfield allowing both runners to score for a 3-2 Mississippi State lead. Mississippi State will return to action tomorrow when it wraps up round-robin pool play at the NFCA Leadoff Classic with a 10 a.m. game against UConn (0-2). Following the completion of pool play, State will advance to single elimination/consolation bracket play in either the Gold, Silver of Bronze championships.
#24 Mississippi State 3, #10 Michigan 2#24 Miss. State 010 020 0 - 3 5 1 #10 Michigan 200 000 0 - 2 8 0 Whitehead, Wilkerson (6) and Brown;Young and Mack. W - Whitehead (5-2). L - Young (2-2).Save - Wilkerson (4). HR - MSU: Whitehead.